Let's face it. I have one HUGE website here which is often easy to get lost in--you may never return if you're not careful! So, to "ease the pain," I placed most of the pertinent Tropical Ecosystem Field Course
links all on one page. From this page, you can explore my extensive tropical ecosystem website listings. Marine Ecology Links are at the top while the Costa Rica Links are below. So, without further adieux......

Tropical Marine Ecology of the Florida Keys, Everglades and San
Salvador, Bahamas

GEO/GLG/LAS/IES 413/513--June 11-June 24, 2012

Focus: Tropical Marine Ecology is being offered to introduce
both undergraduate and graduate students to the present and past ecologic
environments of the Bahamas, Everglades and Florida Keys. Topics will
be covered from an interdisciplinary perspective and students should
have a keen interest in natural science. Quite simply, we will learn
by doing. We will look, discuss, ask questions, reflect, and look again!
It is possible you will learn more in this field course than you will
in a semester back at Miami!

REQUIRED: An Attitude of Discovery!!

We will explore:

Land Use & the Florida Everglades

Mangroves, Seagrass beds & Tropical lagoons

Coral Reefs and Associated Marine Communities

Fossil Reefs

Intertidal Zones

Days are spent in the field making observations and responding
to questions and what I call "ecosystem challenges." Field
notebooks and underwater slates will be provided. We will examine coral
reef and grassbed ecology, taxonomy of vertebrates, invertebrates and
flora (of coral reefs, lagoons and tidal flats), climate, and many physical
aspects of marine ecology. Measurements and interpretation of environmental
parameters (currents, tides, dissolved oxygen, pH, Eh, salinity, and
temperature), sedimentology, and the statistical analyses of ecologic
data will be performed using modern instrumentation and computers. Group
and individual projects concerning biologic and physical analyses of
select marine environments will be performed. We'll spend lots of time
in the water, swimming and snorkeling. SCUBA opportunities will be available
throughout the trip.

Nights are spent in laboratory work, discussion groups, lectures and
astronomic observations using a telescope.

Class Mix: My goal is to have a class with a healthy variety of undergraduate
majors, graduate students, and teachers that are eager to contribute
and learn about these ecosystems. People from other universities, states or countries are encouraged
to attend!

2012
-TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS OF COSTA RICA-2012

A Quicktime Video of Corcovado National Park at Sirena. Double Click on the image above to view quicktime.
Includes squirrel monkeys, tapirs, etc.

Purpose: To better understand the astonishing diversity of tropical ecosystems. Students in this course work together to investigate the ecology and cultures of Neotropical Ecosystems: how they were formed and how they are changing. Topics will be covered from an interdisciplinary perspective. Quite simply, we will learn by doing! We will look, discuss, ask questions, reflect, and look again! It is possible you will learn more in this field course than you will in a semester back at Miami!

REQUIRED: An Attitude of Discovery!!

We will explore in 2012:

Tropical rainforests

Caribbean islands and island biogeography

Beach and mangrove communities

Coral reefs

Sea turtle nesting site

Indigenous Bri Bri communities

CLASS MIX:Our goal is to have a mix of students who are eager to contribute and learn about these ecosystems. Maximum enrollment: 18